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Bozzone’s Last Stand

The 2008 Ironman 70.3 world champion, Terenzo Bozzone, is hoping his niggling Achilles injury is behind him as he makes a last ditch stand to qualify for Hawaii this weekend. (photo courtesy ASI.)

Bozzone will line up at the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Wiesbaden, Germany in the hope he can secure some valuable points to sneak him into the final 10 slots to qualify for October’s Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona.

Following his runner-up effort to Cameron Brown at Ironman New Zealand, Bozzone returned just a few weeks later for a fourth at the US 70.3 Championships and fifth in New Orleans. It’s there he picked up his Achilles injury – he thinks from coming back into racing so soon after Ironman for the lure of qualifying points.

Despite a mid-season return, he re-injured his Achilles, but, after rest and treatment back in New Zealand, he now finds himself in 49th slot on the qualifying ladder (allowing for Chris McCormack and Craig Alexander as exempt under the five year exemption for winners).

"I was sure if I had a few solid races under my belt I would make the cut off no problem, but with the Achilles problem I haven't been able to do all the races I wanted to race and get the results I had aimed for," Bozzone said. "With some full distance Ironman races and 70.3 races in the month of August, other athletes will move forward on points and there is not much of a guarantee I will make the cut off."

While the points on offer are significant this weekend, so is the opposition with a quality field of stars along with a pack of athletes in the same position as the kiwi – there to chase qualifying points. They include the likes of Filip Ospaly (CZE) currently 54th on the qualifying list for Hawaii, Michael Raelert (GER) 45th, Marko Albert (EST) 50th, Uwe Widman (GER) 56th, Andi Bocherer (GER) 57th and Simon Billeau (FRA) 61st.

Bozzone has come through a training camp at altitude in Mexico and further training in Switzerland.

"I have never ridden hills so long and suffered so much in all of my life. Coming back down to a normal altitude earlier than expected was a smart move and I am starting to feel ready to race."

It’s all part of the drama created by the new qualifying system as athletes vie for one of the 50 select spots on the start line for Hawaii.

We'll have live updates from Wiesbaden here on Ironman.com, along with live athlete tracking and photos courtesy of FinisherPix.